The HaleWilkinston Project
by AthenaWantstobelikeVenus21
Summary: Bella's been having dreams that allude to a secret concerning her past, and her REAL ties to the Cullen family. When she discovers a series of clue's after the arrival of a familiar stranger, she's led to the mysterious Edison group. A group that may provide an insight on why she's suddenly remembering things from a childhood she has no recollection of living.
1. Chapter 1: Flashbacks

As dark as the room was a solitary light could be seen from the doorway, illuminating from a small lamp, which sat forgotten near the only window the room had to offer. The fragment of light barely allowed the sight of the rooms meager contents. In the corner sat a small metal bared bed barely covered by a quilt of all sorts of colors lying ruffled at the foot of the mattress. Scattered around the room was paper of all sizes and all colors, some hanging from the walls, some one tear away from cascading to the floor, but all were marvelous. Each one a memory hanging for all to see, all drawn carefully and skillfully by the same child who now could be see laying peacefully on the floor.

A sketchbook in hand, she gazed down at the picture she was drawing with careful admiration. A look that on a child of her age seemed misplaced, for it was the look of someone far beyond the adolescent age of 8.

Yet, just as she began to lay her pencil to the sheet once more, a small boy entered by the rear. Wearing the same grey uniform look as the girl herself, the boy casually rubbed at the neck of his shirt in obvious discomfort while walking as if by memory, to the center where the girl sat waiting. The child seemed amused by the girl's position and sat down loudly next to her, not bothering to hide his easy nature in her company.

"What is it this time It's-a-belly, what was so important you couldn't wait till morning to finish sketching?" the boy asked drawing in breath as if scolding her like a parent.

"It's him Toe-mas, it's our special place, I can see it in my memory as if it was only yesterday, yet I know that had I ever truly seen such a place I'd surely never have left in good conscience." She traced the edge of the picture with such a delicate touch one might think the child expected it to break under immense pressure.

The boy sat with an odd expression on his face while peering at the drawing over her shoulder, carefully pushing aside her fingers when they obstructed his view.

"It's not finished yet, but I can't seem to sleep, or eat, or do anything knowing that it lie's here so shamed with incompletion." She said.

The boy did not move, and if he heard her he made no indication. He sat stone eyed staring at the picture of a meadow so covered in flowers, one might think they all desired the chance to bask in the sunlight, only this place could offer.

"I desire so much to just be their with him, 10 years seems like such a long time when faced with the prospect of eternity." She tore the picture from his hands, and walked to the dark corner near the bed, dropping to the floor and prying up a loose floorboard with her bare hands. After placing it carefully on the top of a pile, she pushed the floorboard back into place and moved to stand and straiten her clothes.

"It will do us no good for you to produce evidence of what they already fear is true. Your visions will only cause you more pain, more tests, more years stuck in this hole instead of out in the world where we belong." The boy said as she came to rest back on the floor she had left so suddenly not a moment before. "Don't you understand Isabella!" he tore at her sketchbook and threw it to the floor, the once playful expression having left his face.

The girl turned roughly from his grasp, and walked toward the window in frustration. The use of her full name throwing her for a moment, having been used to their childish nicknames for so long. She remained there gazing through bars out into the fading sunset. "You used to hope with me Thomas, hope that one day our parents would come back for us, that they'd save us from this retched place. What happened to you to make you believe our future must be sacrificed for our survival here?" she whispered through clenched teeth.

Thomas stifled his rage long enough to make it to the doorway without daring to speak what they both knew to be true. "Your mother and father don't even know you were born, my mother was too busy swooning for the big shoot doctor to take a second opinion on whether or not I was really dead! Their not coming back for us, they left us here to rot." And with those words he left the room and tore down the hallway in blind fury.

She stayed rooted to the spot, tears threatening to spill over. Once her and Thomas had kept maps in her special place under the floorboard, keeping track of all the places their parents were throughout their childhood. They had marks all over the continent, and many in Alaska were their family stayed from the time they were born to the time Isabella learned to walk, Thomas learning soon after if only in an attempt to keep up with her.

Isabella couldn't believe he'd given up hope so soon; after all he was the reason she hadn't cracked years ago under all the pressure her glimpses of the future had given her. Turning to the mirror she knew he would come back to her and make things right again, after all it was them vs. him and her and if they weren't together they'd never manage to escape and find their parents.

A heavy boot approaching told her that Thomas was still far away, and left her in a vulnerable position, alone they could pick us off like ducks in open water. She didn't turn around, not even when the man sent to her room cleared his throat in annoyance. Only then did she fear for the worst when his boots more hurried and impatient came strait for her from the door.

"Your presence is requested in the head matrons office . . .. Now." He gripped her arm and dragged her away from the window. A last glance over her shoulder showed her that the sun had fully set and as she was dragged away, she couldn't help but think how fitting it all was that she be pulled away for punishment so soon after being refueled with the hope of an escape from this prison.

Bella Swan awoke with a start, troubled by a passing thought that her dreams have become more intrusive as of late. More often than not, she'd wake up feeling as if she was missing something, some piece of a puzzle that's never really quite fit together. But, she didn't dwell on it for long, something told her that it might be better to not dwell on what she wasn't sure could really end up meaning anything important.

So instead of wondering why she was having such vivid nightmares of a small dark room, and a boy with such an easy going smile it made her heart ache, she simply left well enough alone.

"Bella, Edward's here." Charlie sounded from down the hall, sounding more annoyed than usual with the arrival of my still-in-the-dog-house boyfriend. I rolled my eyes at Charlie's audible show of making Edward uncomfortable, and made my way downstairs to rescue him, pushing aside any lingering thoughts of how familiar the dreams seemed.


	2. Chapter 2: Pain is only the beginnning

I ran down the stairs just in time to see my Edward leaning against the main hallways doorway in a manner that was just still enough to be considered easy going. I knew from his expression that something was on his mind, the way he leaned impatiently toward me as soon as I was in sight gave me a chill of unease.

"Edward what is it?" I whispered as he lead me past Charlie whose aggravated stance in the kitchen showed just how displeased he was by Edwards presence. Whatever it was that was bothering him, he wasn't saying. I kept my silence through small chat with Charlie, promising him ill be home early for dinner, but all the while watching Edward for any hint of what could possibly be wrong. When Edward opened the car door for me I got in reluctantly flashing him a face of disapproval. He flashed me an apologetic smile back as he shut the car door, and walked slowly towards the driver side. Putting the car in drive we were nearly a mile from my house before I decided it was safe enough to brooch the subject again.

"Edward please, you promised, no secrets remember?" I stared at him as his face went through a variety of emotions, before settling on defeat.

"Theirs someone in town, asking questions about us Bella" Edward said slowly, letting me process the words.

"What kind of questions?" I said nervously. If it was enough of a reason to make Edward nervous, I was already set on edge. These questions could only be directed at one thing.

"Questions that we aren't in the best position to answer, but don't worry I've sent Emmett ahead of me to check out where he's staying, hopefully when I get their we can figure out what he came here for." Edward turned into the school parking lot already littered with students, some screaming, and some crawling, on their way towards classes.

"Well what are you waiting for? Let's go, if its someone you can potentially harm your secret, I want to help." I was already buckling my seat belt when Edward turned to look at me.

"Bella you have to stay here, where I know your safe, Ill come find you after and tell you what's going on. Please do this for me just this once." He stammered as I went to protest.

"Fine, but as soon as I'm like you I won't be as easy to get rid off." I bit out unbuckling myself and getting out before he had a chance to move and do it himself.

"Oh I can imagine you'll be quite difficult" Edward chuckled. I threw him a dirty look over my shoulder and shut the car door, heading towards the mass of students entering the school. As I turned around to watch Edward pull away a pain in my ear stilled my movements and startled me. Rubbing it I started to walk to class, throwing one last look over my shoulder at where Edwards car should have been. Taking an odd interest in the motorcycle sitting nearly a yard away, a motorcycle I could have sworn I've seen somewhere before.

Just then my ear let out a scream of protest, barely clutching it I let my brief thought of recognition slide away and ran to class before I missed the bell.

Getting to class and sliding into my seat proved more difficult than originally thought, especially when clutching one hand to my pulsing ear and the other clutching my book bag now swinging aimlessly. As soon as I sat down I knew it would be a while before I would venture to get up again. Thankfully in this particular class the teacher wouldn't notice if a firework went off. Leaning my head on the desk, I briefly thought about what odd behavior it was for me to be sleeping in class. Drifting off it registered that at this particular moment in time I couldn't be bothered to care. Her mind lazily ran its course towards the dream she had been having just the other night.

Walking down the narrow corridor at night was something her and Thomas had long ago decided was a suicide mission. So many guards could catch you trying to sneak away, or worse the Headmistress could chance upon you and then you knew you were in for it. It was that same hallway she found herself walking down now, the passageways she would have preferred only inches away, but a steel clamp in the form of a hand reminded her of why she was even their in the first place. The guard still clutching her arm tightly showed no indication of slowing, especially once he had reached the door that Thomas and her had learned long ago to never venture into under any circumstances.

Their had been a time, long ago when they would have ran for this door when they were frightened, but that was before they realized the truth, and back then they were only children, still too afraid of the dark to question anyone or anything.

The guard reached the door and knocked twice before opening it and shoving her in before it had even registered in her own mind that she was in some sort of trouble. If only Thomas hadn't of been so stubborn, at least then he would have helped her hide away, or at the very least come with her.

"Isabella, my haven't you grown." Said a voice with a drawn out quality that reminded her of the way a spider would trap its prey before the kill.

"Yes, of course, and how are you headmistress, well?" being civil was something that came naturally to her after all these years, rudeness was not tolerated in these walls, and no one dared be rude to the headmistress directly.

"We've come to some sort of dilemma, I don't know how and I don't know why, but it seems someone has come to pay you a visit. Naturally this would seem odd considering it was by my own hands that you were created and under such circumstances those allowed to know of your existence were few. However, as it is he has come proving legal kinship, and under the fear of a court lawsuit we must comply with his wishes to see you." She pulled a piece of paper out of her desk and signed one it, taking time to loop her name in all the right places so that not even an dash was out of place.

"I don't understand." I stammered unwilling to look her in the eye.

She stopped what she was doing to face me with the most contempt I had ever seen directed toward me at one time. "Its simple really, you will go, you will spend time with your uncle, and then when you are their you will tell me exactly who is it that knew about you and report back here immediately, or I will make sure you never see Thomas ever again, do I make myself clear?"

I stood my ground in defiance, and nodded my head, handing the slip to me she instructed me to give it to the guard at the door, who would assist me in collecting my things.

"5 days Isabella, you have 5 days to tell me who knows about us, about what we do here. Oh and by the way we had something special built for you just in case your gifts caused any unwanted attention."

All of a sudden some sort of gun hit me from the side where a guard had obviously been standing waiting. The pain in my ear exploded as whatever it was that had been in its hold latched onto the inside of my skull and began to pulse.

Dropping to the floor I held my head in my hands long enough to see the Headmistress smile of approval.

"Oh yes I know about your gifts, and the device implanted in your ear will make it so that you may never show any large amounts of it to anyone ever again. Its simple really, the bug is designed to pull from your blood the very core of your powers, and when done continuously it will slowly pull from you your ability, until it ultimately leaves you powerless. Unfortunately this will take many years to be complete, so until then id be very careful. One wouldn't want something similarly unpleasant to end up in Thomas's skull now would they?" She waved her hand and I felt a man roughly grab my arm and lead me toward my bedroom. The guard's appointed to help me pack grabbed as much clothes as he could see and shoved them in a duffle I could only assume was for my trip. As we were heading down the hall toward the entrance I heard a shout from the other end of the hall.

"Seems your friend's just been informed of your departure, it's a shame you won't get to say goodbye." The guard who held me let go, and instructed me to walk towards the main entrance, where the man would be waiting to retrieve me.

"Couldn't I just say goodbye?" I asked

The guard shook his head and pointed one meaty finger at the doorway. As I shuffled forwards I heard more shouts and bangs, all seeming to keep in time with the pulsing of the machine still humming in my ear.

I pulled open the door, squinting just in time to make out a middleaged man standing next to a red motorcycle.


	3. Chapter 3: The Stranger

"Miss Swan?" "MISS SWAN!" "MISS SWAN wake up this instant!"

Bella jolted up at the sound of her teacher's angry announcement. If there was anything worse than being caught napping in homeroom, it was the feeling of a dozen sets of eyes watching her and enjoying the show.

"Miss Swan I would suggest that the next time you decide to lay your head down to rest it better not be in mine or any other of the classrooms here. You're far better off staying home and wasting your life away, than staying here and wasting my time."

Students could be heard chuckling and seen hiding their grins under their hands as if the action would prevent her from noticing them. Feeling particularly gutsy she started to eye down every one who stood watch, and she must have done so with far more anger than she intended, because eventually every one of then realized they had something far more important waiting for their attention at their desks.

Instead of wondering where the sudden urge to stand up to those around her had come from, she stifled it down quickly and managed to put herself in a position she found herself in quit often these days, submission.

"I'm sorry Mr. Avery I didn't mean to fall asleep, it was completely unintentional, and I would never try to waste your time when I know how important this information is. I apologize for disrupting the class."

Mr. Avery visibly softened at my groveling and I heard the sighs of the students around me announcing their displeasure of my cleaver ovation of his wrath.

"Be that as it may, I'm sorry Miss Swan, you will report to the principals office, and tomorrow I expect your full and undeviating attention. Do you understand?"

Mr. Avery started filling out a slip for me and I gathered my things, which was easy considering I had never completely unpacked, and went to the front of the classroom. My classmates now satisfied at my punishment could be seen hiding smiles and giggles as I walked by. I suppressed the urge to stare them down again, wondering for the second time today where all of these unusual thoughts were coming from.

As I took the slip from Mr. Avery's hands I turned to walk out the door, blocking those mocking faces from my view as I went.

"Yes, Mr. Avery." Was the last thing I managed to get out before Mr. Avery began class once more before I carefully shut the door behind me.

. . . . . . . . .

As Bella walked further into the small building after reaching the office and receiving detention, with a stern warning to never fall asleep in class again, she brushed off her leftover feelings of unease at Edward's departure, and tried her best to ignore the pain still emanating from her ear, which had returned with a vengeance as soon as she had left Mr. Avery's class. But try as she may she couldn't deny the feeling that something just wasn't right, and now that Edward was nowhere in sight she couldn't help feel as though something terrible was coming. Shouldering her backpack and rolling back on her converses she breathed on a deep breath and then another, and started walking to her second period English class, hoping this time she could manage to make it through one class without drawing any attention to herself.

On her way into class the bell rang and students began running and filling into their left over morning classes. She started running full force toward her classroom, and managed to slip her foot into the door and squeeze her way through unnoticed just as all of the other kids started to settle into their seats.

She had just managed to find her own seat, and settle her things in an array around her, when she heard someone sit down beside her.

"Hey Bella." An unmistakably male voice spoke beside her. Unfortunately she recognized this voice and knew when she turned her head she'd be face to face with a pair of baby blue eyes, and even more frustration than her morning should warrant.

"Hello Mike, what can I do for you?" she bit out, aware that even the tiniest hint of distress in her voice might very well prolong his presence. Mike hadn't always been this frustrating, he had started out as one of her first friends, and then suddenly decided to take on the role of caregiver late last year. For whatever reason she would find him suddenly by her side and eager for her approval, and it was beginning to drive her crazy. Not that she would ever say that so him, she thought the blow to his ego might very well cause more harm than good. After all what harm was it really? And having an extra pair of eyes around might help ease her impending feelings of doom. Maybe if he had been in her last period class, he could have even warned her before Mr. Avery caught sight of her.

"Bella I just wanted to see if I could sit down next to you since I noticed Edward was absent today, you know just in case you want some help with your homework." What was more frustrating to her that anything was that he genuinely wanted to help her. Because it made her more inclined to simply grin and bare his presence, rather than politely excuse her-self from the conversation.

"Sure Mike." As soon as he sat down whatever powers that worked up there in the high heavens must of heard her prayer, and her teacher, Miss Anne walked in, striding in such a manner that commanded everyone's attention and ended all chatter.

Mike flashed Bella a grimace and turned in his chair so that he was now directly facing the teacher.

"Alright class I know the last class before lunch is always the hardest, but you need to really pay attention today, because all of what we go over today in class will be on your next test, and eventually your midterm." Miss Anne started walking toward the black board, her heels causing pain to spark back up in Bella's ear, reminding her of its presence as if the very fact that she had almost forgotten had personally offended it.

With one hand held firmly against her ear and the other grasping her pen for dear life, she tried to concentrate on what Miss Anne had started to put on the bored.

After a couple of minutes, the pain became unbearable and she raised her hand to politely excuse herself from class, before the day could get any worse.

She could feel Mike beside her eyeing her with concern and it made her feel even more anxious to get out of this class and somewhere far away where prying eyes could no longer find her.

"Miss Swan is something wrong?" Miss Anne had finally noticed her raised and trembling hand, her brown furrowed with both annoyance and concern, melting into worry when she took sight of Bella's twitching limbs no longer resting at her side.

"Miss Anne I am no longer feeling very well, may I be excused?" Refusing to wait for an answer and feeling another rush of pain, she mumbled something unintelligible before gathering her scattered things and making her way to the door. Mike trailing behind her like a lost puppy.

"Mike I'm fine please leave me alone." She mumbled grabbing the door handle and twisting it out of the way.

"Michael please take Miss Swan to the Nurse." She heard Miss Anne say behind her. Not turning around to acknowledge Miss Anne, or Mike, she booked it for the parking lot, hoping to get far enough away that her head might stop spinning. Unfortunately she barely made her way to the edge of the gravel when her foot caught beneath her and she feel to the pavement with a resounding crack.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Starting toward the machine Isabella felt the absence of Thomas full force, and whimpered with the loss of her best friend and roommate. The guards behind her became impatient and shuffled her foreword, locking the gates behind them and blocking out the last of Thomas's cries of outrage behind her.

Isabella took a moment to admire her surroundings, it was different being outside, sort of like an adventure her and Thomas has long ago dreamed they would one day have. She took in the sky above her and the birds singing with quiet reverence, and couldn't help by wish that someday she might share this sight with Thomas, knowing how much he would love it as well.

Stumbling on a rock and nearly catching herself brought her back to the present, and she focused on the man who stood before her leaning against a red motorcycle whose gaze never left her face. He was built strong, but she would tell he had a heart of gold when he smiled, and the way his dimples lit up his face had her feeling as though his smile might prove to be contagious. But smiling without Thomas didn't feel right, so she quietly averted her gaze to the pavement once more.

Once she had gotten far enough away from them, the guards who were behind her shuffled forwards exchanged paperwork with the man and few choice words, and turned back to disappear back inside the compound, not even acknowledging her presence as they left.

Clutching her bag she stood her ground and remembered what she had been told, find out who this man was and how he knew about her, or shed never see Thomas again. Meeting his gaze and squaring her shoulders like Thomas taught her, she looked him strait in the eye with all of the anger she could muster, and belted out "Who are you? Refusing to move another inch before someone told her what was going on.


End file.
